Exclusive: Water industry calls for ban on PFAS after analysis of sampling data shows contamination across country

• What are PFAS, how toxic are they and how do you become exposed?
• The Guardian view on chemical pollution: the UK can’t ignore the risks from PFAS

Raw drinking water sources across England are polluted with toxic forever chemicals, new analysis has revealed, prompting the water sector to demand that ministers ban the substances and polluters pay for the astronomical cleanup costs.

The areas covered by Affinity Water and Anglian Water were found to be particularly badly affected, and experts have said they fear “we are drastically underestimating the size of the problem”.